Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-469.1

Further EHS 469.1

Community First Trust and Home Care Workforce Continuum

Ms. L'Italien moved that the amendment be amended in section 2, in item 9110-1633, by adding at the end the following new section:-

"SECTION XXX. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, prior to transferring the consolidated net surplus in the budgetary funds to the Commonwealth Stabilization Fund pursuant to section 5C of chapter 29 of the General Laws, the comptroller shall dispose of the consolidated net surplus in the budgetary funds for fiscal year 2016 as follows: (i) transfer ½ of the surplus, not to exceed $10,000,000, to the Massachusetts Life Sciences Investment Fund established in section 6 of chapter 23I of the General Laws; and (ii)transfer ½ of the surplus, not to exceed $10,000,000, to the Massachusetts Community Preservation Trust Fund established in section 9 of chapter 44B of the General Laws; provided that any further net surplus, not to exceed $10,000,000 shall be transferred to the Community First Trust Fund established in section 35AAA of chapter 10 of the General Laws shall be expended to adjust the approved program rates issued under 114.4 CMR 17.03; provided further that one-quarter of the transfer to the Community First Trust Fund shall be expended to adjust the approved program rates under 114.4 CMR 17.03 to prove a rate add-on for wages, compensation or salary and associated employee-related costs to personnel providing homemakers and personal care homemaker services to elderly clients under 9110-1500, 9110-1630 and 4000-0600; provided further that one-quarter the transfer to the Community First Trust Fund shall be expended for the care and management component of the rate for elders who qualify for the enhanced community options program; provided further, notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, effective July 1, 2016, and for successive fiscal years, the care management component of the rate for elders who qualify for the enhanced community options program, shall be increased in equal increments over the course of fiscal years 2017 and 2018 to equal the care management component of the rate for the Community Choices program in item 4000-0600; provided further, that one-half of the transfer to the Community First Trust Fund shall be provided for the purpose of recruitment and retention of home health aides in accordance with 114.3 CMR 50.00 for the purpose of providing Title XIX services to patients; and provided further that this item shall fund home health aide services authorized under items 9110-1500, 9110-1630, and 9110-1633; and provided further that the funds authorized for the Community First Trust Fund shall be eligible for federal financial participation.”